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- A May 2013 ABA statement addressed the Oklahoma tornado disaster
- Disaster Legal Services is tied to federal disaster law and local delivery
- FEMA materials describe what Disaster Legal Services usually covers
- Bar association disaster resources often rely on coordination across systems
- FEMA benefit reviews and appeals are part of the landscape in some disasters
- State law still shapes many post disaster legal problems
- Sources
Key Facts
- Federal level: Federal disaster law includes a specific provision for disaster-related legal services in 42 U.S.C. § 5182.
- Federal and state: The statute states that disaster legal services programs are to be conducted with the advice and assistance of appropriate federal agencies and state and local bar associations.
- Federal and state: FEMA publications describe Disaster Legal Services as operating through an agreement with the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division.
- Federal and state: FEMA publications describe Disaster Legal Services as aimed at people who lack sufficient resources to secure adequate legal services after a major disaster.
- Federal and state: FEMA publications describe Disaster Legal Services attorneys as volunteers rather than FEMA employees.
- Federal and state: FEMA publications describe attorney communications in Disaster Legal Services as confidential and not shared with FEMA.
- State level: An ABA Journal report about the 2013 Oklahoma tornadoes described coordination involving the Oklahoma Bar Association and Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma.
- Federal and state: ABA Disaster Legal Services materials describe a toll-free legal hotline as a common way survivors get connected to volunteer lawyers.
As of February 2026: Program details, web pages, and statistics can change over time.
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A May 2013 ABA statement addressed the Oklahoma tornado disaster
In late May 2013, the president of the American Bar Association, Laurel G. Bellows, issued a public statement expressing sympathy for people harmed by the Oklahoma tornadoes and describing legal help that the organized bar was preparing to make available, according to reporting by the ABA Journal.
That reporting described the statement as part of an ABA press release and quoted Bellows as saying, “There are no words to ease the pain of the families who lost loved ones in this horrible tragedy,” while also emphasizing that lawyers could offer pro bono help to people dealing with the aftermath.
Disaster Legal Services is tied to federal disaster law and local delivery
At the federal level, the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act includes a legal services provision that addresses situations where low-income individuals cannot secure legal services adequate to meet disaster-related needs.
Even with a federal authorization, the on-the-ground delivery of legal help often depends on state and local infrastructure, including state and local bar associations and legal aid organizations, because many disaster-triggered problems involve state law issues such as housing, contracts, and insurance.
FEMA materials describe what Disaster Legal Services usually covers
FEMA fact sheets describing Disaster Legal Services list categories of disaster-related civil legal help that may be provided by volunteer attorneys, depending on the disaster and local capacity.
Bar association disaster resources often rely on coordination across systems
ABA materials about Disaster Legal Services describe coordination between FEMA and the ABA Young Lawyers Division, and they describe a toll-free hotline model that helps route callers to volunteer lawyers for limited legal advice and, in some situations, pro bono representation.
Separately, as of February 2026, the ABA Disaster Legal Services web page described the program as responding to disasters across the United States and its territories and stated that, since 2007, DLS had responded to 254 disasters in 45 states and 5 U.S. territories on that page at Disaster Legal Services.
FEMA benefit reviews and appeals are part of the landscape in some disasters
Federal and state disaster assistance programs can involve eligibility determinations, documentation requirements, and review processes, and FEMA fact sheets about Disaster Legal Services specifically identify FEMA appeals as one of the areas where legal help may be relevant for some survivors.
State law still shapes many post disaster legal problems
Many legal issues that follow a disaster still come primarily from state law and private agreements, including landlord-tenant rules, home repair contracts, and insurance policy interpretation, so the legal rules that apply can differ significantly from one state to another.
